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    Neighbor forces couple to clean up random dog messes in her yard while claiming their dog is responsible: '[Our Belgian Shepherd] does not cross the fence'

    Many people don't mind helping once in a while. In fact, building a good relationship with neighbors is a positive thing, and small favors can help create trust and a sense of community. So, you might think picking up after a dog one time to keep the peace might not seem like a huge deal… Well, sometimes it is.

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    • Cheezburger Image 10629814016
      via Unsplash+ (Aarush Thapa)

      A block of attached flats running down the street.

      Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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    • So for context, I (30yo male) and my wife just moved into a block of flats. We have 4 in our block, and then there are 4 or 5 other blocks attached, running down the street.
      via LetmegetaAaA
    • The neighbours have been LOVELY. They're inviting us for barbecues, we're sitting out around the fire pit with them at night, taking our dogs on walks together, it's been great.
      via LetmegetaAaA
    • However, one neighbour (we'll call her... Karen) is a bit of a nightmare. It started a few weeks ago, I was out talking to one of the neighbours we get along with really well, and when the conversation
      via LetmegetaAaA
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    • ended I walked into the car park and back along to our block, because Karen was in her garden and I didn't want to disturb her. The fences are only maybe 2 feet high so we usually just walk over them.
      via LetmegetaAaA
    • Karen shouts over to me, asking if I'll do her a favour. She points to some dog and asks if I'd pick it up, as it's not her dog that's done it and she doesn't
      via LetmegetaAaA
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    • like picking up after other dogs. She gives me a bag and I do it, to be neighbourly. Doesn't bother me, really.
      via LetmegetaAaA

    • The first request felt a little strange. The man wasn't sure if it was his dogs' mess, but he helped anyway out of kindness. But the neighbor also didn't know whose dog made the mess, so why immediately hand someone else a bag and ask them to clean it up? It seems that the neighbor believed it was his responsibility to pick it up, when it actually wasn't. Still, he tried to be polite. 

    • A man lying on the couch with his dog.
      via Unsplash+ (Star Fire)

      A man lying on the couch with his dog.

      Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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    • Fast forward 2 weeks or so, and I'm asleep, in bed, on my day off. It's around 10am. My wife comes into the house and wakes me up, saying that Karen has asked her to do the same thing again.
      via LetmegetaAaA

    • But then it happened again. This time, she was clearly, though indirectly, accusing them. By saying it wasn't her dogs' while asking them to clean it up strongly suggests she had already decided who was responsible. And at this point, a real conversation needs to happen.

    • When my wife asked her if she thought it was our dog's, she says "well it wasn't my dog anyway, it's far too big to be his". We have a 2 year old Belgian
      via LetmegetaAaA
    • Shepherd, who has been fiercely trained from day one to be cautious of boundaries. She does not cross the fence unless she's in full zoomies mode, and
      via LetmegetaAaA
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    • even then she just crosses, and then comes straight back. She certainly never poops or even pees in anyone else's garden.
      via LetmegetaAaA

    • Responsible pet owners know their animals very well, especially when it comes to their “bathroom habits”. That's why it's highly possible this mess doesn't belong to the couple's dog at all, meaning they're cleaning up after a random dog they are not responsible for. 

    • Cheezburger Image 10629808896
      via Unsplash+ (Anatoly Najmitenko)

      A Belgian Shepherd lying in the backyard of a couple's house.

      Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

    • She's very obviously implying that my dog is crossing into her garden and going for a but when I take her out I watch her very closely because
      via LetmegetaAaA
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    • What's more, I believe the woman would actually notice if a Belgian Shepherd wandered into her yard. Those dogs are huge.  If the neighbor truly believed the dog was entering her yard often, she would mention actually seeing it happen.

    • she's so fast, can climb, is very strong, etc and I don't want anything to happen, regardless of her training. What do I do from here?
      via LetmegetaAaA

    • And if someone believes another person's dog is entering their yard too often, I really doubt they would only ask to clean up the mess. The reasonable thing would be to have a direct conversation about the behavior itself and prevent the dog from entering the yard in the first place. That's why her position is really weird. So, the next step should be figuring out whose dog is responsible, instead of handing neighbors another plastic bag.

    • Training Tough991 Is it possible it could be your dogs? My dogs are well trained but it's not outside the realm of possibility they could on occasion, make a mistake.
      via LetmegetaAaA
    • LetmegetaAaA OP Not a chance, when I take her out I stand on the path and watch her, there's not a single possibility it could be mine.
      via LetmegetaAaA
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    • shadow-foxe I'd tell Karen to put up a camera so she can find the serial pooper because its not your dog. I too pick up poop if I see it on neighbors front yards, coz its just r de and nasty. (it also encourages other dogs to go as well). My dogs are big too so its obviously not from mine..
      via LetmegetaAaA
    • LetmegetaAaA OP I'd absolutely help out a neighbour, that's no issue to me, but it's the accusation she made to my wife that has me annoyed. I might have to go ahead with getting a camera setup for outside.
      via LetmegetaAaA
    • Obvious_Hope_1704 Stop answering her, thats what I would do. Stop responding, stop doing it and if she's got a problem, you know how you trained your dog, may as well record to prove it
      via LetmegetaAaA
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    • LetmegetaAaA OP I've already got 2x hallway cameras, I was debating a constant record system for the garden though. I did it once because I thought it was just some kind of phobia or something and wanted to be nice I guess
      via LetmegetaAaA
    • HabitualEnthusiast I don't think it's that odd that she would assume the was yours, especially since you picked it up when she asked, she might have taken that as confirmation. I'd definitely just say something next time. Like hey I'm sorry someone's dog is pooping in your yard, but this isn't from my dog and I don't want to keep picking this up either.
      via LetmegetaAaA
    • LetmegetaAaA OP So I did clarify with her the first time that it wasn't from my dog, as I thought she was implying that and she kind of brushed it off so i thought I maybe I had read it wrong.
      via LetmegetaAaA

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    dogs neighbors neighborhood neighborhood-drama neighborhood-stories neighbor drama karen neighbor dog story belgian sheperd
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